Blizzard Blog: ComEd to restore power by mid-day

Neighbors help each other to clear snow in Flossmoor. (Zbigniew Bzdak, Chicago Tribune)

Staff report

As of 6 a.m. today, about 5,800 ComEd customers were still without power, according to a company news release. Of those, 5,000 were in Chicago.s

The company expects all power to be restored by mid-day today. Officials late Wednesday night said crews would work round-the-clock. So far, ComEd has restored service to more than 183,000 affected customers.

She also asked that the offices run by the other elected officials of Cook County and the Independent Health and Hospitals System resume full operations as well.

The Cook County Department of Public Health clinical, dental and WIC services at Rolling Meadows, Markham, and Bridgeview Courthouses are canceled for Thursday, but all other CCDPH services will return to normal operation.

Amtrak plans to restore most corridor services in the Chicago Hub on Thursday following this week’s blizzard conditions.

All Hiawatha Service trains to and from Chicago and Milwaukee, all Wolverine Service, Blue Water and Pere Marquette trains to and from Michigan and three of the five round-trips on the Chicago-St. Louis corridor are scheduled to operate, subject to residual weather-related delays.

Another update is planned by midday on Thursday.

As of late Wednesday, only the trains specifically mentioned below remain disrupted.

Portions of other Amtrak services to and from Chicago from the west and south are also disrupted. Those passengers with telephone information in their reservations are being notified by Amtrak contact centers regarding cancelations, truncations or extreme delays:• Chicago-Kansas City-Los Angeles Southwest Chief (Trains 3 & 4)• Chicago-Denver-Reno-Emeryville California Zephyr (Trains 5 & 6)• Chicago-St. Paul-Seattle/Portland Empire Builder (Trains 7/27 & 8/28) • Chicago-Cincinnati-Washington-New York Cardinal (Trains 50 & 51).

Passengers are encouraged to call 800-USA-RAIL or visit www.Amtrak.com for schedule information and train status updates.

9:05 p.m. Airports expect more flights Thursday

Conditions improved a little Wednesday at Chicago's airports, and the Department of Aviation expects an expanded flight schedule to resume Thursday.

Some flights arrived at O'Hare Wednesday and there were some arrivals and departures at Midway, but airlines still canceled more than 2,200 flights at O'Hare and more than 400 flights at Midway.

Travelers are strongly encouraged to check their airline’s website or call them to confirm the status of their flight, according to a news release.

8:12 p.m. State police update highway conditions

Many area expressways continued to have single lanes open for travel Wednesday night, with some abandoned vehicles still being removed, the Illinois State Police said.

As of 7:45 p.m., the ISP released the following update on highway conditions:

--Interstate 57 / Interstate 80 area: Roads are partially cleared, ramps are being cleared, and all abandoned vehicles have been cleared from the roadway and ramps.

--I-94 (Edens): Still only one lane open, no lane markings are visible and hard to maneuver, icy on shoulders and some spots on the roadway.

--I-94 (Dan Ryan): Local lanes have one lane open; express lanes have two, downtown area is all clear, currently removing adandoned vehicles from roadway.

--I-90 (Kennedy): Clear with only one lane open for travel.

--Route 53: One lane is only open for travel.

--I-290: East end of Eisenhower is still be plowed, two lanes are open. Ramps are still impassable, icy conditions.

--I-94 (Bishop Ford): Roads are passable, ramps are still impassable and icy conditions are forming.

--I-55: Roadway is good with most snow removed. Northbound north of Canal shut down, must exit at Chinatown feeder, temporarily shutting down for snow removal in attempts to re-open Lake Shore Drive.

7:54 p.m. Most state offices to be open Thursday

State offices will largely re-open Thursday after dangerous weather forced Gov. Pat Quinn to order all non-essential workers to stay home Wednesday.

Officials expect limited closures of some smaller offices, which may be inaccessible to workers due to heavy snow and ice. Workers are urged to use caution when traveling, and should allow extra travel time, according to a state release.

Metra expects to be running regular weekday service on seven lines Thursday, but will have reduced service on four lines, said Tom Miller, a spokesman for Metra.

The Burlington Northern-Santa Fe line and three Union Pacific lines, North, Northwest and West, will see less service than a normal weekday, but more service than Wednesday or a regular weekend day, Miller said. The lines that are expected to see reduced service are lines that Metra contracts with other railroad companies to run, Miller said.

The plans, of course, depend on local conditions, Miller said.

The plans "could be uncertain due to local road closures and conditions," Miller said.

Regular weekday service should be in place on Metra's Milwaukee District north and west, the North Central, Heritage Corridor, Southwest, Rock Island and Electric lines, Miller said.

Details on Metra's plans were expected to be posted on its Web site later this evening. Meanwhile, as posted on Metra's site earlier today, the last Union Pacific trains today departed about 7 hours before the last UP trains usually do. On the UP-North line, the last train outbound train left at 6:30 p.m. instead of 12:30 a.m.

CTA service was seeing some weather-related delays this evening, according to the CTA Web site, including delays on the Blue Line and significant reroutes because of Lake Shore Drive’s continued closure.

More than two dozen buses were being rerouted because of the closure of the drive, according to the Web site.

On “L” lines, the Yellow Line was closed, as was the Cermak/54th stop of the Pink Line. Meanwhile, the Blue Line was experiencing significant delays because of switching problems near Rosemont.

Bus substitutions were being put in place this evening between O’Hare International Airport and the Rosemont “L” station, and the CTA was urging riders to use the No. 56/Milwaukee bus as an alternate if possible.

6:12 p.m. ComEd: 23,900 still without power

Just under 24,000 people remained without power in the ComEd power area, with 172,800 customers who have had their power restored since the blizzard began Tuesday. Most of those still without power--18,800--were in the city of Chicago, said Krissy Posey, a ComEd spokeswoman.

4:51 p.m. Dart declares emergency at Cook County Jail

Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart this afternoon declared a civil emergency at Cook County Jail.

This declaration was in addition to a lockdown at the facility which has continued since Tuesday.

The emergency declaration -- believed to be the first in more than 30 years, possibly since the blizzard of 1979 -- allows staff from other sheriff's department functions to be directed to the jail, Dart said in a release.

4:44 p.m. DuPage County offices to open Thursday

DuPage County government offices will re-open on Thursday after having been closed today due to hazardous weather conditions.

Public safety departments and services, including the DuPage Convalescent Center, remained staffed and open.

As a bitter chill grips the Chicago area, Commonwealth Edison Co. crews will continue working tonight and Thursday to restore power to thousands of customers, the utility said.

The blizzard that struck the Chicago area overnight has caused downed power lines and damaged the utility’s equipment. ComEd has dispatched more than 300 crews who have struggled to restore power in neighborhoods where streets remain impassable, said ComEd spokesman Bennie Currie. By about 4 p.m., about 29,800 customers were still without power, the bulk of them--about 23,000--in Chicago.

ComEd has restored power to about 165,000 customers since the blizzard began on Tuesday, Currie said.

“It’s a challenge to get through the arterial roadways that aren't as highly traveled,” he said. “It’s going to take some time to get to them.”

Overnight temperatures dipping below zero will do little to help melt the snow and make those roads passable, but Currie said the utility will "continue to work until every last customer gets service.”

3:40 p.m. Flight cancellations up to 2,600

The Chicago Department of Aviation reported at 3:30 p.m. O’Hare and Midway have each have a few arrivals and departures. Airlines at both airports expect to resume operations tomorrow.

Today, airlines have canceled more than 2,200 flights at O'Hare, and over 400 flights at Midway, the department said in a statement.

The Cook County Circuit Court will remain closed for Thursday, court officials said today.

The only proceedings in session will be central bond court at 26th Street and California Avenue, the Criminal Courthouse. There will be no other proceedings at that courthouse, or at suburban branch courts in Skokie, Rolling Meadows, MAywood, Bridgeview and Markham.

Cases will be rescheduled.

2:19 p.m. Cook County jail lockdown extended

The Cook County jail, on lockdown since 3 p.m. Tuesday, will remain on lockdown until at least 7 a.m. Thursday because of the storms’s impact on the jail and some jail employees’ inability to get to work, officials announced. Inmates’ movements will be limited and there will be no family or friend visits to inmates.

1:45 p.m. Blizzard Warning done, Wind Chill Watch ahead

The Blizzard Warning for the Chicago area has been cancelled, according to the National Weather Service.

A Wind Chill Watch is in effect for northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana from 9 p.m. until Thursday morning. Temperatures are expected to range from 5 degrees below zero downtown to 20 below, with wind chills as low as 40 degrees below zero, according to the weather service.

1:16 p.m. Kennedy express lanes stuck inbound

The reversible gates on the Kennedy Expressway will remain in the inbound position for the rest of the day and into Thursday, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced.

IDOT officials switched the gates to inbound Tuesday night, but are unable to switch them back to the outbound configuration because heavy snow accumulation and the need to keep personnel on plowing operations.

IDOT will assess the snow-removal efforts in the reversible lanes Thursday morning before making any decisions regarding switching the gates to the outbound position for tomorrow's afternoon commute.

12:20 p.m. CPS ponders closing a 2nd day

Chicago Public Schools officials were deciding this morning on whether to call off classes a second day in a row.

School buildings were opened today in case students showed up, but none did. Principals, assistant principals, engineers and custodians were supposed to come in and be ready to offer meals should students have appeared.

A chief consideration in deciding whether to resume classes is the ability of staff to get to the school buildings. CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said many of the staff who were required to be in school today never made it.

Interim schools CEO Terry Mazany will make the decision in concert with other city departments. "A decision will be made later this afternoon recognizing the need for families to plan in advance," Bond said.

12:13 p.m. Pace suspending bus service at 6 p.m.

Officials at Pace said at noon they have decided to suspend all bus service at 6 p.m. today due to impassable roadways, coupled with forecasts for increasingly icy conditions on roads caused by rapidly dropping temperatures.

"We're concerned for the safety of our passengers, our bus operators, and other drivers on the roads," Pace Executive Director T.J. Ross said in a statement. "Conditions have allowed us to operate only a small percentage of our service today, and it's our hope that not having our vehicles on the road may ease snow removal efforts throughout the region."

At various times today, Pace was operating as many as 55 of its approximately 200 bus routes where conditions permitted. Ridership had been extremely low on the routes that were operating. Travel bans continued through noon in Lake, McHenry and Will counties and other areas. Pace said it will continue to provide updates to passengers via its Web site at www.pacebus.com or by phoning Pace customer relations at (847) 364-7223.

If anyone is stranded by the suspension of service, they should contact Pace Customer Relations and the agency will try to provide accommodations.

Part of the reason to suspend service today at 6 p.m. was that Pace has not seen many riders today, and people seem to be abiding by warnings to stay home, said Pace spokesman Patrick Wilmot.

Pace had its personnel stay overnight at garages to try to be ready first thing this morning and avoid not being able to make the trip from their homes to bus garages.

“That paid off because we were ready to go when service rolled out at the 3, 4 and 5 a.m. hours,” Wilmot said. “The only thing holding us back was the condition of the roads.”

For Thursday, Pace hasn’t made a decision on operations.

Word is likely to come later today.

“We’re going to have to watch and wait to see what conditions are going to be,” he said. “We hope we can continue normal service first thing Thursday morning.”

Paratransit service for people with disabilities is operating on an emergency-only basis, Wilmot said.

Only people who need to make a trip, such as to get dialysis or other health-related issue, should try to scheduled a paratransit ride, Wilmot said.

11:54 a.m. Elmhurst driver escapes car before it's hit by train

The driver of a car apparently stuck on Metra tracks in Elmhurst because of the weather was able to jump from the car before it was hit by a train this morning, officials said. Read developments at TribLocal.

11:06 a.m. Drivers stranded at Des Plaines tollway oasis

Dozens of truckers and some motorists were stranded for hours at the Des Plaines Oasis on the Jane Addams Tollway. Trucks in parking lots on both sides of the oasis were stuck in parking lots as snowdrifts boxed them in.

Drivers of cars, SUVs and minivans were having trouble getting out of the oasis parking lot for hours because of snowdrifts that several times covered the entrances to the tollway.

Tollway snow plows had come through and cleared the exits and entrances connecting the oasis parking lots to the Jane Addams several times since 3:30 a.m., but the drifts had reformed.

By about 11 a.m., the entrance to the tollway going west was clear enough for drivers to leave. On the tollway itself, one lane was clear enough for cars to drive, and a second lane was open enough that cars that were overtaken by fast trucks were able to move over temporarily.

11 a.m. CTA closes Pink Line's 54th/Cermak stop

Blowing and drifting snow has forced the CTA to shut down the 54th/Cermak station at the end of the Pink Line, and the Pulaski stop is temporarily being used as the terminal, transit officials said today. CTA is providing a bus shuttle between 54th/Cermak and Pulaski that will serve those stops, plus the Kostner and Cicero stop in between.

The entire Yellow Line/Skokie Swift remained closed as of late morning due to drifting snow, but the seven other rail lines were reported operating with few delays.

A power-relay problem early this morning affecting train signals and signals at street-level crossings on the Brown Line was corrected at about 7 a.m. and full service was restored, said CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney. Prior to that Brown Line trains did not operate between the Kimball terminal and the Western stop.

Ridership on both bus and rail was described as very light during the morning commute.

All bus routes are operating today, but bus drivers are facing difficulties staying on schedule due to snowy streets and icy conditions, officials said.

The CTA’s snow- and- sleet-fighting equipment installed on rail cars is still being used today to keep tracks unobstructed, Gaffney said. The task is easier on elevated structures than on ground-level tracks because snow tends not to accumulate on the “L’’ as much as it does on grade-level track.

10:45 a.m. Lake County declares civil emergency

Struggling to keep up with calls for stranded motorists, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office has shut down all main roads and is asking people to stop trying to drive. Lake County Board Chairman David Stolman has proclaimed a state of disaster.

More than 150 people have been rescued from abandoned vehicles on the county’s various impassable roads, according to police.

“Just about every main road through here is impassable,” said Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Curt Gregory. “We’ve had a lot of abandoned vehicles, a lot of people stranded.”

The Chicago Department of Aviation reported at 10:30 that most airlines at O’Hare and Midway are set to have limited or no flight operations today. Airlines at both airports expect to resume operations tomorrow.

"Today, airlines have canceled more than 2,200 flights at O'Hare, and over 250 flights at Midway," the department said in a statement.

Amtrak cancels Midwest service

Amtrak has canceled a number of Chicago hub trains.

Included are:

• Chicago-St. Louis Lincoln Service trains 300, 301 and 303

• All Chicago-Milwaukee Hiawatha Service

• Port Huron-Chicago Blue Water Service train 365

• All service on the Chicago-Quincy Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg

• Chicago-Carbondale Saluki trains 390 and 391

In addition, New Orleans-Chicago City of New Orleans trains 58 and 59 will operate only betweeen New Orleans and Carbondale. The Chicago-Kansas City-Los Angeles Southwest Chief will not operate. Nor will the Chicago-Denver-Reno-Emeryville California train No. 5 or the Chicago-St. Paul-Seattle/Portland Empire Builder train 7/27.

10:13 a.m. ComEd restores more power

Over the last several hours, Commonwealth Edison has pared the number of its customers without power from 76,000 to 59,000.

About 42,000 of those are in Chicago.

ComEd spokeswoman Tabrina Davis gave no indication of when power would be restored, saying the blizzard conditions were preventing the utility's crews from navigating streets.

“It’s visibility. It’s road accidents. It’s slick, treacherous road conditions,” Davis said. “Our crews are experiencing that and given those conditions, restoration times will be delayed."

9:59 a.m. Expressway conditions as of 9:30 a.m.

Here's a rundown on area expressway conditions as reported by Illinois State Police as of 9:30 a.m.:

• On the Edens, visibility is about 50 feet with high snow drifts along the sides of the expressway.

• On the Dan Ryan, light snow is falling, the road is heavily covered and visibility is about 200 yards.

• On Interstate 57/I-80, visibility is about 100 yards with some whiteout conditions and heavy snowfall. In Will County, 1-80 is closed between Illinois Highway 47 and Princeton Road.

• The Kennedy is snow-covered and snow is falling.

• The Eisenhower is experiencing whiteout conditions.

• The Bishop Ford is heavily covered with snow, with visibility about 200 yards.

• The Stevenson is the subject of roaming closures due to IDOT plowing from Countyline to Lake Shore Drive.

A man in Lyons died Tuesday night while shoveling snow in front of his home on the 4200 block of Konrad Avenue, police said.

Police and ambulances were called to the scene about 11:45 p.m. Because the road was impassable, the man, a 58-year-old Lyons resident, was taken via police armored vehicle to a waiting ambulance, which took him to Loyola University Medical Center. The man died there.

"Residents are urged to use caution when shoveling heavy snow and neighbors are encouraged to check on their neighbors during this historical storm," said a police statement.

9:30 a.m. Jail's power problems resolved

The electricity problems that plagued Cook County Jail on Thursday night have been resolved, the sheriff's office said this morning, although power is still out at the jail's boot camp.

Because of the power problems, six detainees who had either posted bond or whose case dropped and had no place to go "accepted our invitation to stay overnight in the jail," spokesman Steve Patterson said. Two have since left and the remaining four will be sent to warming centers.

About 300 correctional officers were unable to get to work for the start of their 11 p.m. shift Thursday, but about 150 officers who were on duty opted to work another shift. One hundred cadets also were available to assist operations, Paterson said.

The jail's problems were apparently weather-related and stemmed from a problem affecting the immediate neighborhood, Paterson said Thursday night.

Just about all 11 buildings at the 96-acre complex experienced flickering lights and similar issues.

Division 9, a roughly 1,000-inmate maximum security division located near 31st Street and Sacramento Boulevard, and the boot camp, located near 28th and Rockwell Streets, were without power. Division 9 operated on a back-up generator, providing low power and lighting. The boot camp's roughly 200 inmates were transported to an empty minimum security building on the jail campus and will stay there until that problem is resolved.

There was no impact on operations, as the back-up power sources provide enough electricity to allow functions at near-normal levels, and due to a lockdown instituted earlier security was not compromised, Patterson said.

7:41 a.m. 1,800 flights canceled at O'Hare, more than 200 at Midway

Airlines have canceled more than 1,800 flights today at O'Hare International Airport and another 200-plus at Midway, the city's aviation department said.

Most of the airlines at O'Hare have indicated they will have no or limited flight operations today. Some Midway flights may resume this afternoon, with the majority expected to resume tonight.

City officials stressed that both airports remain open.

7:31 a.m. Cook County workers told to stay home

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle declared a state of emergency in the county and instructed all county employees under her jurisdiction to stay home with the exception of those providing essential public health and safety functions.

Regular operations will resume Thursday, she said.

She asked the other elected heads of county government departments to follow suit.

6:24 a.m Limited service on South Shore line

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transport District reported it will run the South Shore line on a partial weekday schedule with the following trains canceled:

Service on the Brown Line has been suspended between the Kimball and Western stations because of a power problem.

Trains are operating only between Western and Belmont and from Belmont to the Loop at this time.

Passengers can use the No. 81 Lawrence bus as an alternative between Kimball and Western.

Additionally, shuttle buses are available to provide connecting service between Kimball and Belmont.

5:31 a.m. Power restored to 94,500; 76,000 still in dark

As of about 5 a.m., ComEd reported that power had been restored to 94,500 customers since the beginning of the storm, but about 76,000 customers in the Chicago area remained without power.

There were still 50,000 outages in the Chicago area, said ComEd spokeswoman Alicia Zatkowski. There were 11,000 outages in the northern suburbs, 12,800 in the south suburbs and about 2,000 in the western suburbs.

ComEd had 100 crews working overnight, with 200 more crews scheduled to start work at 7 a.m., Zatkowski said.

5:22 a.m. Some Metra lines to run on Sunday schedule, others shut down

The lines running Sunday service are:Union Pacific North Line Union Pacific West Line Union Pacific Northwest Line BNSF Railway Milwaukee District West Line Milwaukee District North Line Rock Island District Metra Electric District - University Park and South Chicago Only

Gov. Pat Quinn has ordered all non-essential state employees to stay home Wednesday due to hazardous weather conditions.

Agencies and offices critical to public health safety will remain open, including veteran's homes, state centers for the disabled, state police, corrections facilities, juvenile justice centers, emergency management offices. Of course, the Illinois Department of Transportation will be out in full force plowing and salting roads.

“We have been monitoring weather conditions, and working with a number of agencies statewide to coordinate preparations for the effects of this storm. Across Illinois, essential services will continue without interruption,” Quinn said in a release.

For more detailed information about office closures, visit www.ready.illinois.gov. Those in the Chicago area can also call 866-848-2135, while those in the Springfield area should contact 866-848-2125.

10:58 p.m. 60 miles of I-80 closed

Illinois State Police late Tuesday shut down I-80 from Morris west to Princeton, Ill.

“The roads are impassible due to the snowdrifts,” a state trooper said.

She said some vehicles are stranded on the road, and it was not known when the approximately 60 miles of highway would reopen.

10:49 p.m. Cook County Courts closed on Wednesday

The Circuit Court of Cook County will be closed and all cases set for Wednesday will be rescheduled, according to a statement issued late tonight by Chief Judge Timothy Evans. This includes all courthouses and the office of the Clerk of Cook County.

9:54 p.m. Power problems hit Cook County Jail

The Cook County Jail Tuesday night has experienced varying issues with power due to an apparent weather-related problem affecting the neighborhood near the jail, said spokesman Steve Patterson.

Just about all 11 buildings at the 96-acre complex have been experiencing flickering lights and similar issues over the past hour, Patterson said about 9:30 p.m.

Division 9, a roughly 1,000-inmate maximum security division located near 31st Street and Sacramento Boulevard, and the boot camp, located near 28th and Rockwell Streets, were without power. Until power is restored, Division 9 is operating on a back-up generator, providing low power and lighting. The boot camp's roughly 200 inmates will be transported to an empty minimum security building on the jail campus for the night, he said.

There is no impact on operations, as the back-up power sources provide enough electricity to allow functions at near-normal levels, and due to a lockdown instituted earlier, security is not compromised, Patterson said.

UPDATE: Chicago Buildings Commissioner Richard Minocchio described the damage to Wrigley Field as "minor." He said six other buildings were damaged in the city, but "none pose a serious health hazard."

Due to the high winds, a portion of the roof above the press box at Wrigley Field "broke away" tonight, scattering debris outside the ball park, officials said.

Chicago police cordoned off streets and sidewalks around the park, while Cubs officials worked with the city to monitor the situation and ensure there weren't any public safety issues, Cubs spokesman Peter Chase said.

No injuries were reported from the falling fiber board panel.

7:36 p.m. Lake Shore Drive closed

The city closed all of Lake Shore Drive, soon after a CTA bus appeared to have spun out on an icy Lake Shore Drive, blocking northbound traffic near the Belmont Avenue exit.

The bus blocked three lanes of traffic, and motorists squeezed by in a fourth lane.

Chicago police confirmed that all northbound traffic had been closed as of about 7 p.m., so that emergency crews could handle the incident.

No injuries were reported, according to the CTA.

7:12 p.m. Daley warns of 'historic' blizzard

Mayor Richard Daley reiterated the concerns of the other public officials as the storm began Tuesday, stressing that the blizzard could be “a storm of historic magnitude.”

“This could be one of the largest storms we’ve seen in the last 30 to 40 years or more,” Daley said at a media conference, urging residents to use “ common sense” over the next 24 hours.

When asked by a reporter if this was the first “nonpolitical snowstorm” in several decades because Daley will not be seeking re-election, the outgoing mayor demurred.

“I don’t know, I have to go back and check,” he said.

Daley said that city, state, and federal agencies had been preparing for the storm for several days. On the third floor of the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communication at 1411 West Madison Street, three rooms had been outfitted with computers, displaying camera images from around the city, snow truck coordinates, and Doppler radar depictions of the approaching storm.

Daley said that unlike in previous winter blizzards, the city has modern technology at its fingertips.

“This is the godsend for emergencies,” Daley said of the snow command center. “I’m confident in the people who work here.”

6:40 p.m. OPRF calls 5th snow day in history

Oak Park River Forest High School has called off school for Wednesday, reportedly only the fifth snow day since 1873. Other closings were March 25, 1930; Jan. 9, 1939; Jan. 27, 1967; and Jan. 25, 1979.

Classes at CPS schools and Chicago City Colleges have been canceled for Wednesday because of the winter storm, Mayor Richard Daley.

For CPS, it's the first time classes have been canceled due to weather since the huge snowstorm of January 1999.

4:30 p.m. Window tears loose in the Loop

Chicago police suspect whipping winds may be responsible for a pane of glass tearing free from its rubber seal at a high-rise at 230 W. Monroe St.around 2:30 p.m.

The glass did not crash to the ground but was dangling from the Loop building, police said.

A police spokesman couldn’t say whether any streets were closed.

3:45 p.m. State workers sent home

All state workers in the 59 counties under a blizzard warning except for Cook County are being sent home immediately by order of James Sledge, the director of the Department of Central Management Services.

State workers based in Cook County will work regular hours unless their agency heads determine otherwise. Several state offices in Chicago have already closed early, including the treasurer, comptroller and attorney general's office. Gov. Pat Quinn's office remained open as of 3:30 p.m.

Workers who deliver critical state services including road crew and public safety employees will stay on the clock in order to deliver "without disruption," said Quinn spokeswoman Brie Callahan.

No determination has been made yet about which, if any, state offices will be closed tomorrow. But workers should check for closures at www.ready.illinois.gov beginning at 5 a.m. Wednesday.

3:25 p.m. Fire departments employ snowmobiles

With a possible record snowfall fast approaching, the City of Chicago has obtained 50 snowmobiles to try to ensure that firefighters can reach residents on snow-clogged side streets who might need their help tonight or tomorrow.

Extra firefighters will also be dispatched to fire scenes to deal with any weather-related problems – from clearing piles of snow out of the way to opening frozen hydrants, officials said.

It is believed to be the first time the city has used snowmobiles to help out during a massive snowfall. The vehicles will be sent to half of the Chicago Fire Department’s 100 firehouses around the city.

Some suburban fire departments will also be using snowmobiles to respond to emergency medical needs in hard-to-reach spots.

"We have a six-wheel ATV sitting here," said Barrington Fire Chief Jim Arie, also chief of the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District that has fire stations in rural Barrington Hills and Lake Barrington. "We'd use that if our engines or ambulances were not able to get to an emergency or to a patient.”

Workers in several state offices have been sent home early due to the weather, including those who work for Treasurer Dan Rutherford and Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka in their Springfield and Chicago offices. Workers for Attorney General Lisa Madigan were also let off early in her Chicago, Springfield, Carbondale, Quincy, Champaign and Metro East offices.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Gov. Pat Quinn had not yet decided whether to shut his office earlier than normal, but is "continuing to asses the situation," said spokeswoman Brie Callahan.

Several state employees will continue to staff critical offices and services overnight, but it's yet unknown if state offices will be open on Wednesday.

2:27 Cook County Jail on lockdown

The Cook County Jail has been placed on lockdown because of the approaching winter storm.

During the lockdown, which will last until 3 p.m. Wednesday, "the jail will be limited to essential movement only and there will be no inmate visits allowed, except by requesting clergy or legal counsel," the sheriff's office said.

The office said the move was made "to avoid anyone needlessly driving to the jail. Inmates who had visitation days scheduled for today and Wednesday have been permitted to contact family or friends who may have been en route, encouraging them to instead stay home."

The lockdown will not prevent anyone from posting bond. But anyone leaving jail custody who has identified themselves as homeless or who has nowhere to stay be offered the opportunity to stay overnight in "an empty, but secured, jail building, where cots are being set up," the office said.

1:53 p.m. More than 1,300 flights canceled

Chicago Department of Aviation officials now say that all flight operations have been canceled at Midway and more than 1,300 flights have been canceled at O'Hare, though both airports remain open.

This afternoon John Hattery was one of thousands stranded at O'Hare, and what was supposed to be a one-day business trip was fast becoming a three-day hassle.

By noon today, two United Airlines flights that Hattery had hoped to be on back to his home in Cleveland had been canceled. Hattery, 48, didn't expect to be able to leave Chicago until Thursday.

"I thought my 1:00 flight was early enough that it would be OK, but everything's shut down."

Hattery was on hold with his corporate travel agent, trying to figure out where he will be staying tonight. He had been on hold for more than 30 minutes.

People at the airport have not been surprised by the cancellations, Hattery said.

"It's been on the news, so people expect it. The staff has been polite and helpful, which makes it better."

1:26 p.m. More universities cancel classes

According to the Depaul University Web site: "DePaul University has canceled all classes that begin at 1 p.m. or later Tuesday and all Wednesday classes on its city and suburban campuses due to severe weather. All DePaul buildings will close at 3 p.m. Tuesday, with employees dismissed at 3 p.m., and the buildings will remain closed Wednesday. All scheduled events and programs for Tuesday evening and Wednesday are canceled."

From Northeastern Illinois University: "Due to weather conditions, all Northeastern Illinois University locations will be closed today, Tuesday, February 1 beginning at 3 p.m. and will be closed all day tomorrow, Wednesday, February 2. The University plans to reopen on Thursday, February 3."

From the University of Illinois at Chicago: "All evening classes (classes that begin at 5 p.m. or later) at UIC have been canceled for Tuesday, February 1. This applies only to the Chicago campus. Peoria, Rockford, and Quad Cities regional campuses of UIC will make their own determinations based on local conditions. Commuter students who find themselves snowbound on campus can stay in lounges in Student Center East or Student Center West, which will remain open around the clock. Limited accommodation for essential or snowbound staff is available in the residence halls by calling 312-287-0580. Please watch for updates regarding Wednesday and Thursday classes."

1:21 p.m. Stevenson lane closed as precaution

The far left lane of the inbound Stevenson Expressway near Martin Luther King Drive has been closed in case the storm forces the closure of Lake Shore Drive, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Dupage County Chief Judge Stephen Culliton has ordered the closure of the main courthouse in Wheaton, the county's four field courts and the circuit court clerk's office at 3 p.m. today and all day Wednesday. All Wednesday cases are continued until Feb. 16. Bond court will stay be held twice daily at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Meanwhile, the Kane County court system will be closed Wednesday, Chief Judge F. Keith Brown said this morning. Anyone whose case was scheduled to be heard Wednesday will get an automatic continuance to Wednesday, Feb. 16.

Northwestern University has canceled all classes that start after 5 p.m. due to the coming storm. The cancellation affects classes on the Chicago and Evanston campuses and all university libraries will be closed this afternoon, according to the Northwestern Web site.

"A decision on whether to cancel classes and close the University on Wednesday, Feb. 2, will be made early Wednesday morning," the site stated.

12:30 p.m. 'Crazy' scene at downtown groceries

Managers at downtown grocery stores described business as “crazy,” as a steady stream of shoppers filed in Monday and this morning in a final effort to stock up.

People curled and configured their baskets around curves as they squeezed into check-out lines at a Dominick’s and a Whole Foods Market.

“People are buying, well, everything. Just everything,” said a Dominick’s manager at the 255 E. Grand Ave., standing next to a shopping cart holding huge sacks of salt.

Mike Farmer was helping to bag groceries at the Whole Foods Market at 30 West Huron and said he’s seen a lot of people purchasing staples such as milk and bread. That store is planning to close two hours early and open late Wednesday to “keep our team members safe.”

Molly L., 28, had some extra time before work and stopped at Dominick’s for a few pre-blizzard items.

“I just got some basics: eggs, bread, some bananas, that kind of stuff,” said the Pilsen resident, who declined to give her last name. “Whatever I can get, whatever I can carry.”

12:17 p.m. Cook County Hwy. Dept. ready, chief says

Rupert Graham, superintendent of the Cook County Highway Department, told the county board this morning that department is ready with its full complement of snow plows to try to keep roads clear, but he urged people not to drive.

The highway department has set up a 24-hour hotline -- 708-485-7130 – which people can call with any reports of problems on county roads during the storm or requests for assistance, Graham said.

The county has 11,000 tons of salt on hand, and can get more if that supply gets low, according to Graham.

Bob King, acting executive director of the Cook County Department of Homeland Security, told county commissioners the county's emergency operations center will remain open throughout the storm.

The county Homeland Security Department plans to stay in constant radio contact with the Chicago emergency operations center and state Homeland Security, as well as other local emergency operations centers, King said.

12:05 p.m. Some cancellations for CPS

Chicago Public Schools officials have decided to cancel all of their after-school programs in schools and park district facilities today. They will also cancel all high school and elementary sports, and the driver’s ed program. For parents who have kids in the afternoon preschool, which begins at 3 p.m., that too has been canceled.

All other programs today are on the regular schedule.

As for tomorrow, CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said interim schools CEO Terry Mazany will be making a decision soon.

The last time CPS had a snow day was in 1999. School officials prefer to keep students in school where they can find safe and warm shelter as well as receive meals.

11:54 a.m. Cook County Health system to be closed Wednesday

All Cook County Health and Hospitals System clinics will be closed tomorrow due to the weather. Patients who have appointments scheduled for Wednesday should call the clinic when it reopens to reschedule.

County health officials will evaluate the weather and road conditions over the next 48 hours before deciding if the clinics will return to normal operations on Thursday.

Patients can call 312-864-NEWS (6397) for a recorded message on any closures or adjustments to hours.

11:36 a.m. ComEd says no major power outages yet

By 11a.m., there had been no major power outages related to the storm, according to ComEd spokesman Tony Hernandez.

In preparation for the impending storm, ComEd has opened the company’s emergency operation center in Joliet, scheduled extra work crews and enhanced call center staffing, Hernandez said.

The utility’s biggest concern, he said, are high winds and snow buildup that can causd extensive damage to power lines.

“That leads to significant power outages,” Hernandez said.

In March 1998, a powerful snowstorm with 50-mile-an hour winds caused what utility linemen call “galloping wires” – a phenomenon in which wind-driven snow sticks to the sides of power lines, causing them to not just fall down, but fly up and off the poles, rising in the wind, then whipping around like jump ropes.

More than 300,000 homes and businesses were without power after that storm 13 years ago, deemed one the most debilitating, if not the biggest blackout in decades in the Chicago area.

Hernandez said the utility cannot prevent outages in such intense weather.

“But our crews will be mobilized and prepared to work around the clock to restore power as safely and quickly as possible,” he said.

11:33 a.m. Airports winding down operations

Chicago's two airports will wrap up extremely limited operations this afternoon. Airlines on Monday started canceling hundreds of flights over the next few days in a tactical response to early forecasts about the blizzard.

Airlines have learned the hard way in past storms that by not proactively scrubbing flights from their regular schedule, airplanes, pilots and flight attendants can be scattered haphazardly across the country. The result is it can take days even after the weather subsides for service to return to normal.

In an attempt to ground as few aircraft as possible in this storm, airlines will primarily operate flights on routes ending up at final destinations that have the best chances of good or acceptable flying weather the next day.

The airlines serving O’Hare International Airport have preemptively canceled more than 1,100 flights, the Chicago Department of Aviation said today. Forty-five minute delays were reported.

At Midway Airport, airlines preemptively canceled more than 100 flights so far today.

Airlines at both O’Hare and Midway were expecting to cancel additional flights throughout the day.

11:30 a.m. Chicago schools mull early closing today

CPS spokeswoman Monique Bond said school officials have been meeting every hour to determine whether to have early dismissal or cancel after-school programs today.

She said CPS officials hope to have a decision soon. The last time CPS had a snow day was 1999. Officials feel the schools offer a safe and warm place, and meals for students.

10:53 a.m. Groundhog Day events called off

Two Groundhog Day events have been cancelled after officials had second thoughts about blizzard conditions expected Wednesday morning.

Brookfield Zoo will be closed Wednesday due to the weather, and so the groundhog Tumbleweed will make an early prediction this afternoon, spokeswoman Sondra Katzen said. The zoo has closed only once before in its history, because of severe flooding in 2008, she said.

Also, in northwest suburban Woodstock, officials cancelled tomorrow’s event, fearing for the safety of guests who usually commemorate the 1992 filming of the movie "Groundhog Day" with a visit from groundhog Woodstock Willie.

A breakfast has been rescheduled for 7:30 a.m. Saturday for ticketholders, said Pam Moorhouse, co-chair of the Woodstock Groundhog Days Committee. She has a few extra tickets, but the event is largely filled, she said.

“Woodstock Willie is not going to appear,” Moorhouse said. “Everything is closing right and left here. It’s not fair to ask anybody to try to come out for something like this.”

She noted that, in the movie, Bill Murray’s weatherman character was stuck in Punxsutawney because of a winter storm.

10:50 a.m. Early voting canceled for Wednesday

All early voting sites in Chicago's wards will be closed tomorrow because of the weather.

The only site open will be at the Chicago Election Board offices, 69 W. Washington St. on the lower level from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

It's expected normal hours and operations will resume Thursday.

10:41 a.m. Northwestern reserves dorm rooms for workers

At Northwestern University, dorm rooms have been set aside so members of the facilities crew can sleep on campus tonight and start plowing the walkways early in the morning.

“When they have to go to work at 3 in the morning on the Evanston campus, they are already here,” said university spokesman Alan Cubbage. “Members of our (facilities) staff pack their bags and go to campus today and plan to stay tonight.”

The university has reserved about a dozen rooms – half in the residence halls and half at the Allen Center, a conference center on campus. Northwestern last closed for weather in 1979, though evening classes were cancelled three years ago.

10:39 a.m. Quinn activates Guard

Gov. Pat Quinn today activated more than 500 Illinois National Guard troops to assist stranded motorists on several interstate highways as part of the state’s efforts to prepare for today's blizzard.

The troops will be stationed at rest areas along interstate highways, including Interstate 70 and those north of I-70, and will coordinate with Illinois State Police to ensure the safety of travelers stranded along the roads.

Troops stationed along the highways will carry supplies such as water, snack bars and roadside safety tips to provide to stranded motorists. Guard members will also relay information regarding road conditions, vehicle accidents and stranded motorists to ISP officers working in the area.

Illinois National Guard troops being deployed are:

• The 2/106th Cavalry Squadron based in Kewanee, with subordinate units from Galva, Dixon and Pontiac, which are being deployed to the northern part of the state.

• The 766th Engineer Company based in Decatur, the 1844th Transportation Company based in Quincy and the 3637th Maintenance Company based in Springfield, which are being deployed to the central part of the state.

• The 634th Brigade Support Battalion based in Sullivan and the 233rd Military Police Company based in Springfield, which are being deployed to the southern part of the state.

10:14 a.m. Chicagoans get their game plan on

As the threat of a blizzard grows with each hour, some Chicagoans have made preparations while others continued with their normal routines.

Sandra Nicholson, 55, of Lakeview, fortuitously got the day off of work Tuesday and was taking advantage of her free time to make a doctor’s visit and run some errands.

“The house is prepared,” she said near a Michigan Avenue bus stop. “We have adequate food. If something were to happen to the heat, we do have a backup generator.”

Nicholson added that she’s planning to go to work Wednesday, but she’s heeding the advice of meteorologists to stay indoors unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“You cannot fight Mother Nature,” she said, “and I don’t want to be out on the streets making it bad for people who do have to be out there.”

Donna Mayer, 66, said there’s plenty of food at home but even if she needs something, she won’t have to travel far to get it.

“I’m getting some food in the house, but not too much because I can still walk to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Jewel’s, so I don’t have to worry,” she said as she walked towards her apartment building in the Loop. “Hopefully, they’ll all be open.”

John Kurji, 35, also of the Loop, shrugged his shoulders at the prospect of a big storm. Besides, one could argue Kurji has dealt with bigger disasters.

“I came from New Orleans with the hurricane, so how bad could it be?” he said outside a Starbucks. “We’ll find out tomorrow.”

9:32 a.m. South Shore adding cars

The South Shore is adding cars to its midday trains leaving Chicago today to accommodate passengers leaving work early in advance of the storm. Affected trains include eastbound Train 9 departing Chicago at 12:38 p.m., Train 109 departing at 2:35 p.m. and Train 209 departing at 3:15 p.m.

South Shore officials warned of possible delays and service disruptions because of the storm. It advised passengers to check its Web site at www.nictd.com/delays.html.

8:30 a.m. Hundreds of school closings

Hundreds of schools across the Chicago area have already announced they are either closing early today or will hold no classes Wednesday -- or both.

Airlines at O’Hare International Airport have preemptively canceled more than 600 flights because of the approaching winter storm, though no delays are being reported at this time.

At Midway Airport, airlines have preemptively canceled more than 50 flights so far but also are not reporting delays at this time.

Airlines at both O’Hare and Midway say they anticipate canceling additional flights throughout the day.

Travelers are advised to check their airlines’ Web sites for flight status before going to the airports. Passengers with flights scheduled to depart today are encouraged to arrive at the airports at least two hours before flight time.

The Chicago Aviation Department says its next update will be at 10:30 a.m.

8 a.m. Chicago will update preparations

The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications will hold a press conference at 10 a.m. at its headquarters at 1411 W. Madison for an update on weather preparations.

Officials from the Aviation Department, the Streets and Sanitation Department and the Chicago Transit Authority will be on hand.

This will be the first of two planned press updates today. The second press conference will take place early this afternoon.

Cook County has set up a patient hotline to report any health clinic closings due to the weather.

Patients were advised to call (312) 864-NEWS before heading to appointments.

7:50 a.m. Skilling says up to 23 inches

If you got up this morning hoping the forecast had gotten any better, you're out of luck.

A blizzard warning remains in effect from 3 p.m. this afternooon to 3 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service says 10 to 18 inches of snow is expected around Rockford and 12 to 20 inches in Chicago and northwest Indiana -- whipped by winds up to 40 mph.

WGN meteorologist Tom Skilling says this morning that up to 23 inches could fall. "Nobody is fear-mongering here," he said on WGN 720. " We’re trying to tell you what’s happening."